Find your Encouraging Word waiting in your mailbox each morning! (Make sure to check for your verification email and click on the link inside the email. If you don't verify your address, I can't send you your daily posting!)

Title

Free Encouraging Words e-book with email subscription!

Would you like more Encouraging Words at your fingertips? Just sign up for email delivery and you will be sent a link to my e-book in your confirmation email. You can then download the e-book which contains 38 of my most viewed posts.

If you have already subscribed to Encouraging Words and would like your copy, just drop me an email from my contact page, and I will send you the link!

Finding what you need:

You will find a complete list of all devotionals on the sitemap. You can find many devotionals listed by topic, or you can do a site search using the google search box!

Other Places I Blog

Folks have asked where they might find my writing. I am working on a compilation of my devotionals to be published in e-book format. My personal Ramblings blog is HERE. I am also a staff devotional writer for Rest Ministries.

The Battle is Not Yours

Words from my daily reading caused me to smile today. I was sitting in a lab waiting room passing time until it was my turn for a blood draw.

When I first saw that the chapters were all from 2 Chronicles, I sighed a bit. Not my favorite book of Scripture! I usually find that I have to slog through the books in Kings and Chronicles. There seems to be so much repetition. There are names I can't pronounce.

It gets ... well ... should I say it?

Boring.

There. It's out. Yes. I get bored and tired reading through some of those chapters.

But today ... oh today! What gems I found!

King Jehoshaphat is standing before a large crowd gathered in front of the temple. An army - a large army - is marching on the city. People from all around came to seek help from God. Their destruction was imminent.

As Jehoshaphat appeals to God in prayer - he questions God.

"Our God, will You not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on You." (Vs 12)

I underlined those words. How often I don't know what to do! How often I feel I have no power to do anything at all. I think of how helpless I feel with my husband's challenges, much less my own.

Do I have that strong a faith to come to God and say, "God ... I don't know what to do here - so I am looking to You."

Jahaziel, the son of Zechariah, stood and spoke.

"He said: "Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the Lord says to You: 'Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God's. (Vs. 15)

How often I make the battles mine! This is what I need to be reminded of. All of the battles I face are truly the Lord's battles. I need not be afraid or discouraged - no matter what I face!

After underlining this verse, I kept reading and found even more.

"You do not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions: stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord with give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you." (Vs. 17)

Wow.

To learn to let go of the battles I can not fight.

To take up my position - my rightful position as a child of the King.

To stand firm and watch for the deliverance the Lord will give me.

To stay encouraged.

To face what I do need to face head on - knowing that God IS with me.

What more is there for me to say, dear readers?

God has already said it all in His word.

Father God, I pray we can hold fast to Your word. Help us to know when there is nothing more we can do - when we are overwhelmed by the "army" of challenges that face us - that all we need do is put our eyes on You, standing firm as we wait for Your deliverance - even if we have no idea what that deliverance will be - knowing strongly in our hearts that You are with us each step of the way. Amen and amen.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I am offering a e-book download of a compilation of 38 favorite posts on Encouraging words to new subscribers. Just follow the easy sign-up directions on the site.

If you already subscribe (and thank you for that), and you would like your own copy, just email me from the site. I will send a link to your subscription email address.

Your comments are both welcomed and encouraged! I so appreciate hearing your thoughts and getting to know you through them! I do read them and am so blessed by them. Please let me know if I can be praying for you. If it is a private request you can email me from my contact page. (There is a place to mark in the comment section if you wish to be notified of replies.)

For my email friends - have you visited the Encouraging Words website? You can find devotionals listed by topics, visit the archives, and leave your thoughts on this post (or anything else you'd care to share!) Just click on the link. :)